Researches proposed involve various aspects of interactions between CNS-pituitary axis and androgens. They include: 1) analysis of the actions of androgens on gonadotrophins released by the isolated perifused rat pituitaries, 2) development of a perifusion system for the the medial basal hypothalamus for studies of the release of gonadotrophin releasing factors, 3) measurement by radioimmunoassay of testosterone, corticosterone and progesterone in fetal rats of normal mothers and of mothers that have been exposed to stress, 4) characterization of organotypic cultures of the hypothalamus of neonatal rats grown in steroid-free culture medium (to serve as the basis for studies of the differentiating effects of androgens on the developing brain) and 5) the use of blockers of specific metabolizing enzymes of testosterone to define the role of dihydrotestosterone and of estrogens in the action of testosterone on gonadotrophin release and on brain differentiation, respectively. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: Dowd, A.J., Barofsky, A-L, Chaudhuri, N., Lloyd, C.W. and Weisz, J. Patterns of LH and FSH release from perifused rat pituitaries in response to infusions of hypothalamic extract. Endocrinology 96: 243, 1975. Kao, L.W.L. and Weisz, J. Direct effect of testosterone and its 5 alpha-reduced metabolites on pituitary LH and FSH release in vitro: Change in pituitary responsiveness to hypothalamic extract. Endocrinology 96: 253, 1975.